Heart of the Sea
by Aurialis
Summary: Maka Albarn has spent her whole life trying to find the lost city of Atlantis. But with no support and the academic community laughing in her face, prospects seem grim. When a mysterious benefactor offers her the chance of a lifetime, Maka joins a ragtag crew on a wild expedition. What they discover when they arrive, however, will change everything. For Reverb 2015, Atlantis AU.
1. Chapter 1

This was written in a collaboration with fullmetalgrigori and edited by l0chn3ss, both of whom were amazing writing partners. The cover art was done by the awesome kaitlinmarley.

* * *

Dark clouds poured in from every direction like rolling, poisonous waves of smog, blocking out the bright sun. Searing white lightning crackled between the higher buildings. Claps of thunder deafening the boy cowering under a table as rain beat rhythmically on the city, accompanied by screams and the wail of a siren. The song of pain and fear was interrupted by a shout. "Soul, come along - we have to get to safety!" called out an elderly woman, her lined face streaked with terror as the blue light above the city grew brighter, red spotlights scouring the streets. The child huddled under their table, unable to hear her. His grandmother crouched down and dragged him out, clutching his hand in hers painfully tight as she rushed outside.

Outside, her eyes widened in shock as she saw walls of water rise around the city. "Gods help us," she whispered, the words falling from her lips and landing as softly as a feather on the boy's cloudy hair. The crimson beams suddenly turned turquoise, causing the woman to look up towards the sky in shock. The boy glanced up at his grandmother, smiling as she seemed to calm, not noticing as a blue light surrounded them and threw everything else into shadow. Her grip loosened and she started to rise, floating towards the beacon far above.

" _Bunaya_!" the child shrieked, hands reaching for his grandmother as she rose upwards serenely, eyes glowing solid blue and white hair floating ethereally.

"Look away!" a teenager screamed, shattering the quiet as he slid to the ground beside the child and curling up around his little brother protectively, hiding the boy's face in his robes. The older boy watched their grandmother get surrounded by the light, enveloped until she was hidden away completely, the brightness of it searing his eyes painfully.

A beam of blue energy shot out from the crystal, hitting one of the enormous statues on the outside of the city. The figure rose to his feet from its kneeling position, stone hands clapping together with a resounding boom. As they spread apart, a blue material stretched between them like a web made of pure energy, darks and lights and achingly bright white. The wall kept growing, a shield against the typhoon and tsunami. Waves crashed against it, covering the surface of the dome and plunging the city into darkness until they washed over. As the older brother, Wes, got a glimpse of the stormy clouds again, he realized the the top of the main building was missing, having been sheared off by the shield and then washed away in the first swell.

The older brother buried his face in Soul's wild hair and he sobbed, " _Matim. Pater. Bunaya._ " Understanding somehow, Soul started crying as well, the two orphaned brothers holding each other tightly enough to bruise as another wave covered the protective dome, plunging them into darkness as the ground started shaking with the force of a thousand earthquakes again. They started sinking, lurching lopsidedly downwards into the bowels of the earth.


	2. Chapter 2

" _But afterwards there occurred violent earthquakes and floods; and in a single day and night of misfortune all your warlike men in a body sank into the earth, and the island of Atlantis in like manner disappeared in the depths of the sea._ "

 _Pause for effect, and…_ The thick leather cover of the tome resting on the podium closed with an authoritative _thump_ , the sound resonating against the towering marble pillars of the lecture hall. Maka held her breath and counted to three before continuing her presentation, hoping that Plato's words would give weight and credence to what was, admittedly, a shot in the dark for those sitting in front of her. It didn't matter how much she believed the story - everything depended on convincing the board.

 _You can do this, Albarn. Stick to the facts, because the facts don't lie._

"The legend of Atlantis has persisted throughout the ages, changing and shifting with every retelling, as oral histories are apt to do. Logic dictates that this legend is simply that, yet every legend bears kernels of truth, doesn't it?" She surveyed the row of academics before her and tried not to let their uninterested faces deter her. "Plato describes this lost city in detail, yet it is easy to dismiss his words as fantasy. I believe this is a mistake, for where would we be without the written accounts of Pompeii? An entire city, lost to flame and ash, buried beneath the surface until it was unearthed. The same could be said of Atlantis. Simply because a story is old does not mean it is not true - I have spent years researching this legend, and I believe my results are more than conclusive."

Maka clicked through a series of slides as she talked. "Atlantis was home to a civilization much more advanced than our own, with access to technology that far surpassed anything in that time period. Electricity, advanced medicine, flight… all fully within their capabilities. Lore from cultures around the world all say the same thing: Atlantis possessed a power source that rivals even steam and coal. Now imagine what we could do with a power source like that." She paused to let the idea sink in. Because really, if the allure of an entire lost civilization wouldn't draw them in, surely the corporate aspect would.

Now on to her main event… Maka clicked to the slide she'd fussed over the most, and gestured to the worn page it highlighted. "This page here describes the Shepherd's Journal, which is rumored to be a first-hand account of this lost city and its location. Our Pompeii accounts, if you will."

Maka crossed the stage to a chalkboard that held a series of glyphs along the top and a a translation below. "This Norse text has been studied and translated for centuries, with most historians agreeing on one version: the journal resides in Ireland. But after comparing the texts to runes found on ancient artifacts, I believe this is a mistranslation. The journal does not, in fact, reside in Ireland, but in Iceland." She changed the incorrect letter with a flourish, hoping desperately that her hands weren't shaking enough to be noticeable. When she turned around, she did not find the interested faces she was hoping for.

 _Do you know how hard it was to translate those damn runes? How long it took?_ she wanted to ask. She knew the research was impressive from an academic standpoint, but no one was batting an eye. She could feel her chances slipping through her fingers, but she wouldn't give up. She'd worked too hard for this.

Maka flipped the chalkboard around. A detailed map of of Iceland was taped there, with vivid red lines tracing out a route along the island. "Further research has illuminated where precisely this journal is located, and I've taken the liberty of plotting out a route there. If you'd like specifics, my findings have been compiled in the folders you have with you." Yet she didn't hear any rustling paper as she continued. She wiped her palms on her skirt.

"I propose that a small crew and myself embark on this very journey to retrieve not only the key to finding Atlantis, but a priceless historical artifact in its own right." Maka was desperate now, and feared that it showed. "Imagine what this discovery could illuminate in our field," she pressed. "I implore you to consider the innumerable benefits this book could present. Given the facts and the research, you cannot do anything but agree that this expedition is worth the expense and the risk-"

"Miss Albarn." A portly, balding man named Higgens (or Higglesworth or Higgenbotham or something equally ridiculous, Maka could never be sure) cut her off. "What you're proposing is absolutely absurd, and expecting us to fund your fruitless search is preposterous." He stood and dusted off his top hat imperiously. "Gentlemen, if you'd care to join me for lunch? I believe we're done here."

Chatter broke out in the lecture hall as the rest of the board tittered and stood to collect their things. Maka's jaw twitched as she watched them, her eyes boring holes into the back of Higglebotham's head. How dare he call her "Miss" then dismiss her life's work as utter lunacy! As though he had contributed any real work to the department. A fat checkbook did not an academic make, but as she knew all too well, funding greased the wheels and could either make careers or break them. But Maka had never been one to let others dictate her path, and so she steeled herself as she began to collect her notes.

"Dr. Albarn." Dr. Azusa, the only woman on the board, stood at the end of the stage, folder tucked under her arm. She, at least, remembered the title Higgensworth had purposely forgot.

"Dr. Azusa," she greeted, straightening and crossing her arms.

"I'm not here to attack your work," Azusa said, holding her hands out in a conciliatory gesture. "I know how much this means to you."

"Yet, and correct me if I'm wrong, I'm not detecting much support, either."

Azusa nodded briskly. "I won't lie to you, Maka. I believe this to be a fool's errand, one your mother gave her life chasing. I'd hate to see the same happen to one of our brightest minds. Leave the legends and the fairy tales to the novelists and perhaps focus your attention on less controversial proposals."

"I will not give up my work simply because it's not conventional," Maka snapped. "I have research and I have facts; I'm not going to throw it by the wayside the instant I encounter an obstacle."

Azusa regarded her coolly. "You are your mother's daughter through and through," she said finally. "And I'm not entirely sure that's a good thing."

"If you're through insulting my work," Maka said, "I've my things to collect."

Azusa nodded. "Very well. Then I wish you the best of luck." The look she gave Maka told her she wasn't talking about gathering her things.

Maka inclined her head in acknowledgment, then slipped her cue cards in her bag and shifted it onto her shoulder. The map could wait, she decided, since no one would be using the lecture hall over the weekend, and she didn't want to spend any more time in the echoing, impersonal room than necessary. She could still hear the board members tittering as she exited into the hall, and their condescending sneers would be painted on the back of her eyelids for days.

 _It doesn't matter. You've been here before, remember? You don't really need them, you never have. This was just the easy road, and you've never liked the easy road. This is just another challenge you get to figure out, that's all. The Albarns are made of stronger stuff._

Her mental pep talk withered and died as she stepped outside to find that the gloomy gray clouds she'd left previously had bloomed into a miserable drizzle. Grumbling under her breath, Maka wrapped her coat tighter around herself and began trudging home.

It was times like these that the dull ache under her breastbone became especially apparent. It was one thing to listen to stories about her explorer mother, jetting off to foreign lands in search of missing artifacts and undiscovered landmarks. It was another thing entirely to spend hours hunched over a faded manuscript, painstakingly translating rune after rune, only to reach a different conclusion every time. It was another thing to scrounge up funding, to find the proper channels for even the smallest expedition. Finding lost treasures and ancient wonders was not all the glamour and glory everyone liked to believe, but even still Maka didn't much mind all that.

She was an academic, born to read and research and learn every little thing she could soak up. Maka's only wish was that she could finish what her mother started, to find Atlantis… but every time she met with a skeptical board of academics, the dream looked further and further out of reach.

 _If only someone would believe me. I know I'm right, I am, but why won't anyone trust me? All I need is one trip, one chance, and I'll be able to finish her work. That's all I want._

But it wouldn't be as simple as that. It wasn't as though someone out there was willing to write her a blank check…

She laughed to herself as she reached her building. _If only life were that easy. If only research expeditions could be so simple!_

Lightning flashed as she unlocked her door, and Maka found herself oddly thankful that her presentation had been cut short. She may not have gotten the funding, but at least she wasn't outside in the rain.

"Blair?" she called, looking around for her cat. It was pitch black inside her apartment, so it took her longer than she would care to admit to notice the dark figure standing by the window. Another bolt of lightning revealed blonde hair and strangely piercing eyes, but the rest of her untimely visitor remained shrouded in shadow.

"Who are you? How did you get in here?" Maka asked, trying not to sound too unnerved as one hand reached behind to try and find any sort of weapon. "I'll call the police!"

"Relax, Dr. Albarn." The woman's voice was mild. She leaned forward as both thunder and lightning cracked through the air, providing the only light in the room. The sharp angle of her jaw and cheekbones made her look severe, but everything about how she held herself projected an air of calmness. "My name is Madeleine Gorgon. I'm here on behalf of my employer, who has a most interesting proposition for you. Are you interested?"

"Are you insane?" Maka countered. "I have no reason to believe that any word you say is true."

"If I wanted to harm you, Dr. Albarn, I'd have already done so. I'm here to deliver a message from my employer, and to bring you to him."

"And who is this employer of yours? Why should I trust him?"

"Because he knew your mother."

Maka stopped short, unable to reply. Someone who knew her mother? Finding anyone who could claim that was rare, and Maka, against all instinct, found herself drawing closer.

"He worked closely with her, and he knows that you're attempting to continue her work. He'd like to meet with you to discuss this." Ms. Gorgon paused. Her chin lifted in a smug gesture. "Interested?"

"If I do go with you, will I be free to return here at any time? No strings attached?"

She nodded. "This isn't a kidnapping, Dr. Albarn. It's only a proposition, one you are under no obligation to accept."

Maka thought about it. She could say no and spend the rest of the evening wondering what this man wanted, or she could go and find out for herself. Perhaps she could learn more about her mother, from someone who had actually worked with her. So despite the ominous thunderclaps sounding outside, despite the mysterious circumstances that had brought this woman to her door, the decision was easy.

"Yes, Ms. Gorgon. You have my interest."

* * *

It was difficult to see clearly through the driving rain, but Maka could just make out a towering mansion beyond the wrought iron gates Ms. Gorgon drove them to. The sprawling grounds and sneering gargoyles perched on the corners of the roof left Maka more than a little confused. Her mother had known someone this powerful? How had Maka not known this before?

A stiff-backed butler greeted them at the door and relieved them of their coats, leaving Maka to spin around in a slow circle and gawk at the artwork and artifacts that littered the walls. She counted relics from every era, each hung with uncanny precision. Each piece had a counterpart that rested on the opposite wall, and Maka couldn't help but wonder how long it'd taken the owner to find each complementary piece, and how deep said owner's pockets had to be.

Oceanic, she decided as she finally started down the hall. She wished she could just spend hours staring at the decorations, but the fast-paced click of Ms. Gorgon's heels was unforgiving. Maka hurried after her, neck craning to catch everything she could before being ushered into a delicate gold elevator that looked much too fragile to be transporting anything.

She slid a sideways glance at the woman beside her, but Madeleine Gorgon's face was hard to read, and Maka had a feeling that spouting off question after question wasn't likely to earn her any answers. So she bit her tongue and tried not to fidget, though it was a hard task to accomplish. She was so close to her goal; her skin tingled with the prospect.

Finally, the elevator glided to a stop, and the doors opened to reveal a darkened study crammed with books, scrolls, and anything else an aspiring explorer might ask for. Maka barely registered the "Mr. Mortimer will see you presently," as Ms. Gorgon pulled the doors back and the elevator began its climb again. She was too busy staring at the framed portrait that hung above the mantel.

Several people stood together in front of the very mansion she was in, all clasping hands and smiling. But Maka didn't pay much attention to them. The only one she had eyes for was the woman standing near the middle, green eyes inviting a challenge even on the oil and canvas.

"Mother?" She whispered the word, but it carried in the large room.

"Finest explorer I've ever met." The voice came from an armchair turned away from her, on the other side of the room.

Maka cautiously stepped forward, unsure of what she would find. The man sitting within it, was… well, anticlimactic seemed the right word to use. She hadn't exactly had a certain appearance in mind upon entering the premises, but someone this rich and influential had to look more… powerful, perhaps?

He was tall and lean, with black hair slicked back and dark, kind eyes. His hands were large and thick, and looked like they belonged more on a laborer than a scholar. His suit was so black it seemed to absorb the light around it, yet silver buttons shone in the flickering light from the fire. He might have been intimidating in another setting, but with the smile on his face and the crow's feet around his eyes, he only looked welcoming. "Mr. Mortimer," he said, offering a hand. "Pleasure to meet you, Dr. Albarn. Please, sit. May I call you Maka?"

She nodded and sank into the chair opposite him, unable to find the question she wanted to ask first. But that was a lie, really, because the only question that truly mattered was, "Did you really know my mother?"

"Oh, yes, stayed close until the very end. Tried to drag me along on some of her expeditions, even though she knew I never did field work." He chuckled and shook his head, reliving some old memory. "She mentioned you quite a lot."

"She never mentioned you." Granted, there wasn't a lot of space on the postcards her mother had occasionally sent, but someone as close to her as Mr. Mortimer claimed ought to have received some sort of mention, right?

He smiled knowingly. "I'm a private person by nature, Maka, something your mother knew well."

"Mr. Mortimer, I hate to change the subject so abruptly, but… why am I here?"

"Because of this." He produced a package wrapped in brown paper from seemingly out of nowhere and handed it to her. Inked onto the top in familiar slanted writing were the words: _For Maka, with love. Kami Albarn._

"It's… from my mother?"

"She brought that package to me years ago," Mr. Mortimer explained, "And said if anything were to happen to her, that I should give it to you when you were ready."

Maka carefully unwrapped the package, smoothing over the creases in the paper as she folded it back. It was a book, bound in soft brown leather and dull metal trim. A gold spiral was stamped in the center, and Maka knew instantly what it was. "No," she breathed. "That's im - I can't - It's the Shepherd's Journal."

She looked up, one hand tapping the cover in excitement. "Mr. Mortimer, do you realize what this is?"

"I suppose you do."

"This journal is the key to finding Atlantis."

"Atlantis?" His voice was skeptical, his face suddenly unreadable.

"Yes, it's all here." Maka began flipping through the pages, snatching out figures and phrases that she could recognize. "Coordinates, clues, everything you need!"

"If one can read it. And if I'm correct, that isn't any language recognized today."

"That's true. This is a dialect that, technically speaking, no longer exists."

"So it's useless."

"No," Maka murmured, looking at a page, "just difficult. I've spent my whole life studying dead languages, Mr. Mortimer. If you think this one is going to stop me, then you're sorely mistaken."

"Even so, there's no proving it's legitimate."

Maka shut the book with a snap. "My mother would have known if this were a fake," she said, fixing him with a steely-eyed glare. " _I_ would know. I swear on everything I have, everything I believe in, that this is the genuine Shepherd's Journal."

"Then what are you planning on doing with it?" Mr. Mortimer pinned her with a stare of his own, only he looked… intrigued.

"I'll ask the museum-"

"They'll never believe you."

"I have the Journal now, I'll show them-"

"Like you did today?"

"It's different now, I have proof-"

"That won't matter to them."

"Then never mind them!" Maka burst out. "I don't need them, I don't need anybody. I will do everything in my power to find Atlantis on my own, and God forbid anyone who doubts me or tries to stand in my way!" She was red-faced and her chest was heaving, and she was fairly certain she had humiliated herself in front of an exceptionally influential man… but she had never felt so exhilarated. She had the Journal, she had her proof, and she could do this. She would finish her mother's journey.

A slow smile stretched across Mr. Mortimer's face as he knit his fingers together. "And that, Maka, is exactly what I wanted to hear."

"What? What do you mean?"

"Your mother spent her life's work searching for that book, and ultimately gave her life for it. I was never as dedicated to the work as she, but I know she would want nothing more than for you to follow in her footsteps. I only wanted to make sure that you are as certain about this quest as your mother was."

Maka could only gape at him.

"Now that I'm sure, I feel confident in sending you out to complete what she started. Can you finish her work and find the city she sought?"

"I'll do my best, sir."

He perked up. "Fantastic. Then let's get started."

"Wh - hold on, sir, To do what you're proposing, you'll need a crew-"

"Taken care of."

"- engineers, geologists -

"The best of the 're the same crew that brought the journal back."

 _That reminds me…_ "Where was it?" Maka almost wanted to hold her breath.

He smiled wide. "Iceland."

Maka grinned back. "I knew it."

"The only thing missing is a linguistics expert. Do you know where we could find one of those?"

Maka's grin grew. "I might have a few ideas. But I have a few things I'll need to take care of."

"Oh, I've already taken the liberty."

She blanched. "My job?"

"Resigned this afternoon."

"My apartment?"

"Taken care of."

"My clothes?"

"Packed."

"My books?"

"In storage."

"...My cat?"

"Mrow." Two tiny paws massaged her calf, and Maka looked down to see Blair blinking owlishly at her.

"Good God," Maka murmured. "How could you possibly know that I would accept?"

"Maka." Mr. Mortimer gave her a flat look. "You're your mother's daughter. There is no universe where you _wouldn't_ accept."

"I suppose you're right," Maka admitted grudgingly.

"There's a saying that I heard once: Our lives are remembered by the gifts we leave our children." He nodded to the journal in her hands. "That is her gift to you, Maka. Enjoy it."

She could finally finish her mother's work and complete the research Maka had spent her whole life working towards. To study this language in depth, to explore the farthest regions of the ocean, to discover wonders no one had ever seen before - there was only one thing she could say to that:

"Believe me, sir. There's nothing I would like more."


	3. Chapter 3

Maka grinned at the beautiful sight before her. The sea shimmered with a thousand shades of blue and green, with even dashes of purple among the white and gray streaks in a myriad of colors that flowed together seamlessly with beauty. As the ship crested another wave, the blonde laughed in exhilaration as the deck beneath her feet bounced and rocked. To her concern, a man stumbled across the deck towards the rail, leaning on it heavily, clearly nauseated rather than delighted by the rolling of the ship. His black and white striped hair hung over his sallow face, golden eyes miserable as he groaned with discomfort. After the brunt of his uneasiness seemed to pass, he stood up and straightened his dark, formal-looking coat.

"Morning," he started, extending a hand cordially.

"I'd say good morning, but it probably isn't for you," Maka answered sympathetically as she shook his hand firmly. The young man, about Maka's age, smiled ruefully as he introduced himself.

"I am-"

"Hey, Kid, let's go! They're about to start the expedition," someone interrupted, their voice carrying easily over the noise of the waves.

Maka cocked her eyebrow, surprised at the nickname for such an official-looking man coming from someone who seemed so rough-and-tumble - the top parts of her overalls swinging around her knees and her thick, heavy boots hitting out a rhythm as she strode across the deck confidently. Sticking out her hand, she said, "Hey, my name's Liz, and this is Kid, as you've probably guessed."

"Mr. Mortimer's son," he supplied. "Because it clearly seems that my name isn't good enough." Maka's eyebrows rose behind her bangs, but she hid her curiosity and surprise well enough as the trio walked inside the ship, taking an elevator to the depths of the steel ship, where the submarine lay. The young woman was jostled by the rivers of workers that flowed in every direction, most carrying bags or pushing wagons of boxes as they all crammed into a giant lift.

When they landed, Maka finally got her first view of the submarine, a gorgeous contraption. It was long and shaped almost like a fish, narrowing a both ends with a wider center and fins on the end, though of course these were engines on the submarine. The metal was dark, dark red, almost black, long segments of it spanning whole length of the sub that were cross ribbed with shorter pieces that circled the submarine's width. The longer pieces stretched to the front, curling slightly over the glass viewing-bubble that glowed like a jack-o-lantern. She had helped with the loading and such earlier, before quickly popped out for a break before the set off.

As a cart went by, commandeered by a man and a woman squabbling so quickly that you couldn't understand a word, something fell off and landed in Maka's path non-threateningly. Picking it up, she sprinted to catch up to them, calling, "Excuse me! You dropped your dynamite!"

"Oh, thanks," said the woman, bubbly and short with bob-cut blonde hair swishing around her chin as she took the brick-red stick back.

"What else do you have in there?" Maka asked curiously, intrigued as to the destructive powers of the stuff in the cart, especially so due to its innocent appearance.

"Eh, nothing special, mostly bombs and different kinds of explosives, though we do have some of the essentials like peanut butter and jelly too," the man answered, beaming at Maka cheerfully. "Who're you?"

"Dr. Maka Albarn, but you can call me Maka. You?" she questioned, shaking the blonde's offered hand.

"I'm Patty Thompson, and this idiot is BlackStar! We're the explosives and weapons specialists on board," the woman answered brightly, punching BlackStar in the arm as she did, not noticing the pained look on his face for a split-second.

Hearing the call for everybody to board, Maka broke away from the pair, waving goodbye as she raced for the gangway, constantly dodging people in the swiftly flowing crowd. Greeting the person who was counting off everyone, she quickly made her way to the front of the glass walls, eager to see the submarine take off and trying to stay out of the way as much as possible, since she couldn't very well learn how to help operate a submarine right now. As the hatchway slammed shut, the metal deck shuddered all throughout the bridge.

 _Finally… it's starting, everything's coming together._

The relatively low level of noise that had been bubbling in the bridge ceased as only a couple voices, the ones in charge, barked out orders.

"Rig ship for dive!"

"Aye, sir! Rig ship for dive!"

Commander Law's voice was calm and steady, alone in the sea of preparation, "Lieutenant, take her down."

"Diving officer, submerge the ship. Make the depth 1-5-0 feet," Gorgon ordered cooly, even her slightly snappish tone not a damper on Maka's mood.

"Make the depth 1-5-0 feet."

"Dive, dive! Five degrees down bubble."

"Take us down."

The hooks holding the submarine suspended just above the sea released and they free fell for a split second, Maka's stomach flying into her throat as the water cascaded into the air around them, spray flying everywhere. She got a final glimpse of Mr. Mortimer waving to them cheerily as the water enveloped everything and the submarine sank below the surface. Blue surrounded them as the propellers turned on, pushing everything faster and making Maka stumble for a moment, the spotlights at the bottom of the ship illuminating the sea's darkness at least a little.

Maka gawked at everything around her with fascination as she wandered back to the bridge from her room, trying to get a good sense of where everything was, running into someone in her absentmindedness. Maka immediately backpedaled clumsily, embarrassed as she apologized, though they didn't really seem to care. "Oh look, another specimen," the man, dressed in a worn labcoat, muttered monotonously, stepping around her and continuing down the hall. Shaking her head from bewilderment, Maka turned around and went back to searching for her quarters. "Oh wait, you wouldn't be Maka Albarn, would you?" the man called from the end of the corridor.

Nodding cautiously, Maka wondered warily as to where this would lead. All of a sudden, he appeared in front of her, face alight with a terrifying joy. "You're my three o'clock!" Grabbing her wrist, he dragged her along after him, down the corridor and into one of the rooms, a medical office from what it looked like. Reaching into a big black bag on the counter, he pulled out a gigantic saw, showing it to her proudly as he ran his finger along the edge.

"A beauty, isn't she? Wonderful for opening up the patients."

Maka's eyes grew wide as he continued talking, instinctively inching away from the man.

"It can cut through bone in twenty-eight seconds, though I can probably cut that time in half if I really push hard," he told her, looking at the saw with something like adoration. "A fantastic tool for dissections… Oh, what I wouldn't give to take samples!" The look in his eyes didn't fade as he turned to Maka, the doctor not seeming to be disappointed at all, "Alas, we must begin your examination."

"Will Maka Albarn please report to the bridge?"

Already about to bolt from terror, Maka gasped, "Thank heaven," as she leapt out the door, running down the hall away from the man. "I mean, nice to meet you! I have to run, sorry," she tossed over her shoulder, reasonably sure she didn't want to get on his bad side.

As she entered the bridge, Maka looked around curiously, observing and taking in as much as she could. At the bottom of the giant glass window was a sea of technicians sitting in front of elaborate control panels, buttons lighting up left and right and levers so densely packed around the sailors that it seemed impossible not to trip five switches just by twitching the wrong way. Climbing up the grill-floor stairs, Maka carefully breathed in and out slowly, trying to ease her racing heart from the near-escape she just had as she made her way to the top, where Law and Gorgon were. Orders and conversations drifted to her ears as Maka scaled the stairway, some of the words gossipy and some couldn't be more businesslike.

"Describe the face he made at the meatloaf again. Oh wait, hang on Poppy, sorry, I've got another call," a soft voice apologized. The woman's voice rang through the bridge, unexpectedly loud and authoritative, "Sir, we're approaching coordinates." Turning back to her screen, she started talking more quietly again, "Oh gosh, I'm sorry sweetie, that sounds awful."

As Maka stepped on to the floor of the bridge, Law said calmly, "All right, let's have a look around."

"Aye sir. Set course to 2-4-0, on the bow planes." Maka heard someone echo Gorgon's orders far down below, but that was overshadowed by Law's voice.

"Welcome to the bridge, Dr. Albarn," he greeted as she surveyed the platform. Kid and Liz were leaning against the rail, discussing something in quiet tones, Liz waving friendlily as she noticed Maka. The green-eyed girl raised her hand in a wave back, though she was suddenly overwhelmed in a hug from Patty. BlackStar bounced over, shouting something about godliness and worshippers. Smiling slightly as she backed away from the extremely excited duo, Maka turned to listen to Gorgon as the woman addressed her.

"Is there anything you can tell us about what we should be looking for, Albarn?"

Flipping open the Shepherd's Journal, which stayed in a small satchel by Maka's side at all times, she scanned through the words, mind instantly translating a language that was so familiar by now that it might as well have been her own, stopping upon an illustration. The sketchy black-ink drawing looked like some kind of mutant lobster, though if the ship it was destroying was meant to be used as a scale; it was at least a thousand times larger.

"I think that with something like that… you'd have to drink white wine," Liz commented, looking over the shorter blonde's shoulder. "What do you think Kid?"

"What is it, Maka?" he asked, disregarding her question.

"It's an illustration of the Leviathan, the creature guarding the entrance to Atlantis," she explained after a second, surprised to see someone taking a serious interest in her work. "It's a giant mythical whale, described extensively in the book of Job."

"It looks like a lobster," Liz stated frankly, eyebrow raised skeptically.

"Accounts differ as to what it actually is," agreed Maka. "Sailors generally believe it's a whale, while the book of Job seems to indicate a more serpentine creature. In the end, it's probably just a carving or a sculpture to frighten the superstitious and that sort."

"So what would we do after we find this work of art?" questioned Law, face blank as always.

"According to the Journal, the path to Atlantis will take us down a tunnel at the bottom of the ocean, and we'll come up a curve into an air pocket right here where we'll find the remnants of an ancient highway that will lead us to Atlantis."

A voice floated up to the upper level, businesslike and serious, but containing a hint of worry, "Captain, you'd better come look at this, sir."

"Alas, I think that'll have to be it for today," he said, walking up to the man at the wheel. "Give me exterior lights." Curious, Maka followed him, ignoring the way some of the others stared at her presumptuousness.

Two spotlights appeared, illuminating the murky darkness around them to reveal that the submarine was at the bottom of a wide canyon, the sides stretching up above them for eons. To their dismay, the spotlights scouring across the ground revealed broken masts and hulls covering the rocky sea floor more densely than even sand. The pieces were tiny and scattered thickly, edges jagged and smooth areas cracked. Strangely enough, there were also whole galleons and boats wedged in between the rock piles, though they were still intensely battered.

Maka looked around with confusion, bewildered by what she saw, "How are there so many ships from every era here?" For a moment the young woman thought she saw something move in the darkness, but when she stared at it, trying to discern anything in the murky depths, but everything was still. Uneasy, Maka rifled through the pages, searching for any clearer indications of what they should be looking for, ignoring the beeping and hissing in the background, as well as the voice that followed.

"Commander, I think you should hear this."

"Predeshtem logtu nug nah geb," she muttered under her breath, feeling Madeleine's and Law's stares boring into her back.

"Commander? Commander?"

"Enter the lair of the Leviathan," translated Maka, realizing by context that she getting closer to the information she needed.

"Commander?"

"There you will find the path to the gateway."

"Commander?" the radio lady repeated, a hint of impatience souring her tone.

"Yes, Miss Nakatsukasa. What is it?" he sighed, annoyed by the interruption.

"I'm picking up something on the hydrophone I think you should hear."

"Put it on speakers."

A keening sound slowly grew, setting Maka's teeth on edge as Miss Nakatsukasa turned up the speaker. "What is that?" she gasped, hearing muted roars, clicks, and groaning sounds.

"A pod of whales?" Madeleine asked, walking down to the radio station.

"Uh-uh. Bigger."

"It sounds metallic. Could be an echo off one of the rocks," the lieutenant suggested skeptically, turning back to the bridge.

"With all due respect, Ms. Gorgon, I would have recognized it if it were."

"Is it just me, or is that getting louder?" questioned Maka, breaking through the bickering.

As if hearing her words, the noise evaporated. The sailors looked at each other curiously, heads shaking as whispers echoed around the bridge, the sound growing almost like a wave's roar. Maka glanced at Law, wondering what his reaction to all this was. The commander's face was impassive as he said, "Well, whatever it was, it's gone now."

"Helmsman! Bring us about. Tighten our search pattern and slow us to-"

The submarine moved wildly, sending Maka to the floor as it was flung to the right, the port side coming upwards to meet her. Crashing to the ground, Maka looked around wildly, straining to see a cause as she stumbled to her feet. Flipping open the Journal, she searched frantically for anything that could help or explain what was happening. Suddenly, there was another crash, even more monumental than the first. Maka screamed in shock and terror when the submarine flipped stern over bow, perpendicular to the sea floor as it slowed. Landing on the bubble, Maka moaned in pain as she rubbed her head, face pressed against the glass. She looked out in shock, eyes growing wide and jaw dropping.

A glowing red circle, an eye, stared into the submarine from outside. Around it were shutters, like those on a camera. It spun shut, then reopened and disappeared, tentacles and a massive body moving past the window.

"It's a machine?" gasped Maka, stunned. How could the Atlanteans possibly have technology that amazing? No country in the world had power like that now, and they invented the thing eons ago, from the looks of the wreckage! Shaking her head, Maka pushed herself upright, climbing up the sides of the bubble towards the railing, holding onto the membrane that held the glass together tightly as the submarine started righting itself. She watched the sailors that weren't swept all over the bridge working furiously to fix the situation.

Sliding down to the walkway, Maka made her way to the top where Commander Law was, knowing she could help. As she clambered to the top of the bridge, she spotted Kid hanging over the edge, holding onto the railing for dear life. Running now, Maka sprinted towards him. Just as his red fingers seemed to weaken again, Maka grabbed his hand, slowly pulling the relieved man back over the edge.

"You alright?"

"Fine, you?"

"Decent, per the circumstances," Maka shrugged, going back to the book, desperate to find anything that could help as she moved towards the windows, out of the way.

At Kid's shout, she looked up and saw the giant lobster-like creature hurtling towards them, wickedly sharp claws reaching out. It vanished from view and she heard Law order, over the bestial roar that made her very bones shake, "Load the torpedo bays! Subpod crews, battle stations!" Men and women were running everywhere, somehow understanding what to do in the chaos. She saw small ships shoot out from the main submarine, streams of bubbles following them as they sped towards the creature.

Maka barely heard Law bellow, "Fire!" over the noise, despite his voice being one of the most distinctive in the room. Torpedos sped through the ocean and hit the Leviathan with explosive blasts, smoke billowing through the water. Despite the danger, Maka's heart twinged momentarily, torn between saving them and protecting ancient artifacts. Shaking her head, she turned back to the book. Of course they had to do destroy the machine, her instincts didn't extend to weapons that were trying to kill them. It let go, shaking its massive head like a real animal would, only a thousand times bigger. "We're free, all ahead full!"

The Leviathan, for what else could it be, recoiled and shot out a beam of electricity out of its mouth, piercing the submarine somewhere further down, tremors extending the whole length of the sub.

Abruptly, Liz's voice started shouting the intercom, "Law! We've got a big hit down here and we're taking on water fast. I don't want to be around when it hits the boilers."

"How much time do we have?

"Twenty minutes, if the bulkhead holds." They heard a heavy clang through the speaker, Maka's eyes growing wide at the sound. "You better make that five."

Turning around, Law commanded loudly, "You heard her. Let's move!"

Snapping her book shut and stuffing it in her bag, which had miraculously stayed put around her shoulder, Maka followed the swarm of workers as the ran towards the exit. "Here, take this!" yelled a sailor, stuffing a box of supplies into her arms. Nodding, Maka raced after Law and some of the others along the maze of catwalks that wound their way through the submarine.

The alarm sounded, bringing a strange awareness that it hadn't been ringing before now, surprisingly enough. "All hands, abandon ship."

Maka slipped inside a subpod, recognizing Stein and Audrey sitting next to her as she buckled in, tucking the box in beneath her seat. Gorgon ran across pod, jumping in beside Law in the front as Maka flipped open her book searching for where they had to go.

Turning the wheel and adjusting the controls, Law commanded, "Lieutenant, get us out of here!" Gorgon pushed against a lever, groaning from the effort as it appeared to be stuck, making Maka's heart thump even harder as she scanned the text furiously. "Lieutenant!"

"I'm working on it!" As another explosion hit the ship, she turned and hit a pedal with her foot. With a boom, the bay doors burst open and the pod flew out as water rushed into where they had been; Gorgon's steady voice a welcome reprieve from the hoarse shouting. "Hang on."

They shot through the water, the gigantic submarine exploding behind them in a fog of blue. Maka's eyes widened as she watched the creature came after them appearing out of the dim smoke like a mythical creature, the window fogging with her breath. The miniature submarine weaved through the underwater canyon, stray rocks hitting the submarine and making it shudder wildly.

"Where to, Dr. Albarn?" asked Law coolly, flicking switches left and right.

Relieved to have finally found the spot, Maka shouted, voice hoarse, "We're looking for a big crevice of some kind!"

"There! Up ahead," he exclaimed, pointing at something too far in front for Maka to be able to see.

Pulling down a radio, Madeleine ordered, "All craft, make your mark 20 degrees down angle!"

The submarine slid into a large crack in the sea floor, blue electricity shooting past them from the Leviathan. A smaller subpod popped up in front of them in the darkness, missing a beam of lightning only to hit the side of the cavern and explode. Maka's jaw dropped open in horror as she spun around to look behind them, worried about the others. Another bolt hit the rocks behind them, sending many tumbling down through the water, churring up sand and bubbles. Spinning around to look where they were going, she watched as Law and Gorgon pulled on the wheel suddenly, sending them into an almost-ninety-degree angle upwards as the cavern wall appeared out of the murkiness before them. The flashes of blue finally disappeared and they appeared inside a large cavern, swathed in shadows.


	4. Chapter 4

They emerged in an enormous cavern full of towering stalagmites and stalactites. Debris from ships long sunk littered the floor between them, and the image reminded Maka of teeth within the maw of a giant monster. A morbid part of her wondered if they had just escaped one monster only to be swallowed by another. The thought disappeared when she caught sight of the architecture spanning the opposite side of the cavern. An archway carved in a shape of an enormous serpent lay in front of them, and if that wasn't an indication of an Atlantean presence, she didn't know what was.

But to think of what they'd lost just to find it… her heart ached. Judging from the hushed tones and bowed heads surrounding her, the remaining crew felt the same. The only sounds that filled the air were that of the machinery being unloaded, and for a while, the loud clanking served to distract them all from what had come before.

When they were finished unloading, Law gathered the remaining crew and looked around gravely. "I know this isn't what we were expecting, but we've been given a mission. It's our god-given duty to see it through. Each of us has our own tasks to complete, so see to it you get them done. Albarn," he said, turning to Maka. "Keep an eye on the Journal."

She nodded, clutching the Journal to her chest. "Yes, sir." A steely resolve filled her heart. No matter what, she would find Atlantis - for herself, her mother, and the crew that would never get to see it.

Law turned to the stairs leading to the entrance and waved a hand at Gorgon. She began barking out orders until her voice bounced authoritatively off the walls and rang in Maka's eardrums. Crew members sprang into action, lifting crates and loading trucks with a practiced speed and efficiency.

Feeling out of place, Maka focused on the Journal, despite having read it several times over. Even then, she tried to see it in a new light, to find anything that might tell her what lay ahead. It had to be here, somewhere within these pages…

A tentative hand settled on her shoulder. "Maka?" She turned to see Tsubaki standing behind her. "You can ride with me, if you want."

Maka nodded and followed her over to one of the trucks. She climbed in and once more buried her nose in the Journal, hardly even registering the shuddering of the frame as the vehicle roared to life. The cacophony grew louder and louder as more engines jerked into motion. The caravan was off.

Part of her wanted to look around and gape at the scenery around her. No one else had ever seen these caverns and caves… or at least, no one had seen them and lived to tell about it. The thought sent a little chill went down her spine. Everyone was relying on her to interpret the next steps on their journey, and she wasn't about to let them down.

"...important to you, isn't it?"

Maka broke out of her academic haze once she realized that Tsubaki had been speaking to her. "I'm sorry, what?"

"This expedition is important to you, isn't it?" she repeated.

Maka nodded, but didn't break away from the paragraph she was on. "Yes, it is. My mother couldn't have this moment, so I decided that I would give it to her. And I've been working on this so long myself…" She paused, clenching the book closer to her. "It just matters so much to me."

"You'll find it," Tsubaki said confidently. "After all, look at where we are. You got us here."

"No, not just me," she said, peering over at her truckmate warmly . "Everyone did their part. Now it's up to all of us to finish the journey."

Tsubaki smiled. "I have no doubt we will."

Maka smiled back, then closed the book. There wasn't much for her to do anyway, not until they came across some sort of obstacle or decision, anyway. All she could do for now was wait and see what lay ahead.

* * *

After a time, even the novelty of the labyrinthine tunnels started to wear off. Every stalagmite began to look the same, as did the crumbling columns that occasionally popped up along their path. Maka tried to find distinct landmarks that might have appeared in the Journal, but as Liz remarked during one of their stops, "Sometimes a rock is just a rock."

Despite her initial unfamiliarity with the crew, she soon began to get to know the various members Mr. Mortimer had assembled. Tsubaki, her truckmate and the team's communications liaison, was unfailingly kind and incredibly patient, if the way she listened to Maka talk about the Journal was any indication. She and Kid, Mr. Mortimer's son, seemed to be the only ones interested about the fascinating artifact that lay in Maka's care. The rest only seemed concerned with the destination, and reaching it as soon as they could.

In that regard, Patti and Black*Star were invaluable. For all that they resembled mere children who enjoyed blowing things up (and perhaps they were), their expertise went far beyond how to create the biggest blast. Whenever the party encountered collapsed tunnels or massive columns blocking the path, a single strategically placed charge from either one could clear the road for the entire caravan. Still, despite their help, it was more than a little disconcerting to see them cavalierly waving sticks of dynamite at each other as they argued.

Liz would most often be found egging her sister on during these debates - when she wasn't kicking at a truck's engine block and swearing colorfully at it, that is. While she wasn't the only mechanic in the caravan, she was by far the best, and the one they all called when something went wrong. When she wasn't elbow-deep in engine grease, she was often teasing Kid or talking with her sister, as the two were incredibly close. "Happens when you grow up in Brooklyn," she told Maka. "Sisters gotta stick together. You got any?"

Maka shook her head. "No. Just my parents."

Liz nodded in understanding. "Y'know, your mom was some kinda lady. Always liked her. Shame what happened."

"Yes," Maka said quietly.

"But boy, if she could see you now!" Liz nudged Maka's shoulder - perhaps a bit too hard, as Maka nearly fell out of the truck. "She would be all kinds of proud."

Maka couldn't help her wide smile. "Thanks."

"Now c'mon, tell me we're getting close."

"Actually, most of the Journal is just text detailing the city itself, along with what civilization there would have looked like. There's very little to do with how to get there, and what there is only written in riddles, which usually-"

"Maka."

"Hm?"

"Tell me we're close."

"...We're close."

"Thanks."

And so the hours passed, the trucks rumbling along the rocky path one after the other. In the rare occurrences that they did encounter a fork in the road, Maka would sit with her nose between the pages, mind racing to figure out whatever clue or puzzle she'd found. Eventually they found their way to a wide, flat wall blocking the path, and after a small discussion, Patti and Black*Star looked up with simultaneous shrugs. "Hell if I know," Black*Star said.

"It's too thick to get through. Not with the supplies we got left, anyway," Patti added.

"You know that's not the problem, it's the support-"

"No, I'm telling you, the wall's too thick!" Patti rapped on it to prove her point.

"You just don't want to risk it."

"I ain't afraid of risking nothing, it's you who thought we needed that extra nitro last time-"

"Hey, we got through, didn't we?"

"Woulda got through if we'd just used the dynamite sticks," Patti muttered.

"Alright," Gorgon said forcefully. "What are our options, then?"

"Could try to find a way around," Patti suggested.

"There's a side road here we might be able to try." Liz pointed to a narrow branch that ran parallel along the wall until it vanished into darkness.

"It looks quite small," Kid murmured. "There is a chance our larger vehicles will not fit."

"Staying here might not be wise," Stein said in his odd monotone. "There's no telling how strong the structural integrity of the cave is."

"See?" Black*Star burst out, pointing to Stein. "Told you it was the structure-"

"No, it's not!"

Maka broke off from the group as everyone descended into arguing and yelling. The noise wasn't helping her to think, and she wanted to get a better feel for the area before she started making suggestions. The last thing she wanted was to lead them down the wrong path.

She noticed a small crack in the right wall, almost invisible to anyone not looking closely. As she approached, she realized that it concealed a small tunnel just wide enough for her to squeeze through. A slight draft issued from the crack, and as it brushed a few strands of hair away from her cheek, the possibility that it was simply dead end was ruled out. Maka glanced back to the rest of the bickering crew. It wouldn't hurt to slip inside and look around, would it? Just to see what lay beyond the tunnel.

The sides of the crack were smooth enough that she didn't get scraped up as she wormed her way into the entrance. The tunnel widened after a few feet, until she could walk comfortably. Watery light filtered in from an unknown source, prompting a spark of hope to take root in Maka's chest, though she tried not to feed it. There was no guarantee that she'd found anything more than a side tunnel leading nowhere. But as the air started to taste a little fresher, she wondered if maybe she'd found their destination.

A low scuffling sound from up ahead stopped her in her tracks, and her blood went cold. Certainly there were a few loose rocks down in the caves, perhaps one of them had just been disturbed? But if that were the case, then something had disturbed it. Part of her wanted to back away and leave, but a fierce curiosity took over. What had caused the sound? If it was an animal, it could be something entirely new to science. Wasn't it her responsibility to find and document it? She could only imagine the benefit to the scientific community once she returned.

Her resolve strengthened, Maka continued, her steps slow and cautious. She didn't want to go barreling into something she didn't know. The path began to slope down a little, and the light began to grow stronger. With it grew her confidence. There was something down here, she was sure of it.

The sides of the tunnel narrowed slightly, then flared out as it emptied into a wide, dome-like cave. Several other tunnels branched out from the other side, all equally-well lit. The more Maka studied her surroundings, the surer she was that it had been man-made. Erosion and nature couldn't create such perfect curves. Hope flared once more. She was so close, she could practically taste it.

Maka stepped forward into the cave, but before she could get any closer, a dark shadow leaped out in front of her. She cried out and leapt back, her back hitting something hard. Turning around, she saw a figure dressed in red cloth, wearing a giant tribal mask. Maka spun, trying to find some other place to run, but she was surrounded by half a dozen people, each wearing a mask. Each one babbled in a strange language she didn't recognize, and given the breadth of Maka's studies, that was saying something.

"Who are you?" she demanded. "What do you want?"

One figure stepped forward, giving orders in that same strange language. This was the leader, then. But the language barrier wouldn't help her any, unless… the more she listened, the more familiar the sounds became. She knew this language, she realized. She'd been studying it for years, and now to hear it spoken… she could hardly accept it. But the truth was standing in front of her, speaking in a gravelly voice.

The leader stepped back again while most of the figures darted around Maka into the tunnels. Only two remained, balanced on the balls of their feet as though prepared to spring into action at any moment. One handed the leader a spear of some sort, and suddenly fear clawed at Maka's insides.

They stepped forward, spear extending out towards Maka. She moved back, filled with both anger and fear. It didn't look like he was trying to stab her, but she still didn't want that weapon anywhere near her.

She kicked out, knocking the spear away. " _Leave me alone_ ," she said, the foreign words tripping off her tongue. " _Get away from me, you-_ " She added a few of the more unsavory words she'd stumbled across in her studies.

The figure stepped back, the spear slipping from their grasp and clattering to the ground. They brought their hands up to the mask and slid it off carefully. Maka stared at him in shock. Aside from a few features, the man in front of her looked almost completely human.

He was tall and lean, with deeply tanned skin. White hair stood out in stark contrast, as did his blood red eyes. He was dressed in a simple maroon vest and trousers, with ruby tattoos swirling around his arms. He stared down at her in shock, his mouth hanging open. " _You speak our tongue?_ " he asked. " _How?_ "

" _Answer my question and I'll answer yours_ ," she shot back.

" _I'm not the one trespassing_."

" _Trespassing… you live here? Then you're Atlanteans!_ "

The man stepped back, wary. " _And if we are?_ "

" _Impossible_ ," she breathed. Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined… she thought Atlantis would be an abandoned city, mere ruins beneath the ocean. They were only going to find the city, dig up some artifacts, maybe even find the power source she'd read about, and return with their proof. But Atlantis was populated, maybe even thriving. This was no longer an excavation, but an anthropological expedition. They'd come expecting a gravesite and instead found an entirely new civilization.

" _And yet here we stand. I'll ask again, how can you speak our tongue?_ "

" _I'm a scholar. I study languages, including yours._ "

The man raised an eyebrow skeptically. " _Can you read it?_ "

Maka wrinkled her nose. " _Wh - yes, of course I can._ "

He regarded her for a moment, then nodded. " _Then I must ask that you come with me_." He called out a few rushed orders Maka didn't catch to the figures behind him, who scurried off down one of the tunnels. It was only the two of them in the cave now, but Maka didn't feel assured.

"Why does it feel like you're not asking?" She edged away from him, reverting to English in her uncertainty.

He threw his hands up in the air in exasperation. "I'm not going to hurt you! I only need your help."

It took a moment for Maka to register that he hadn't spoken in Atlantean. "You - you can speak English?"

"You're not the only one gifted in languages. Unfortunately, our talent is limited to speaking."

"So… you need me to read something?"

"If you're able."

"I can translate whatever you need, yes. But the rest of my expedition-"

"-Stays where they are." The man's eyes narrowed. "I'm not allowing any more outsiders into my city than I need to. I'm only asking your help because I am desperate. No one else is allowed with you."

"How can I be sure you're not just kidnapping me? That you will let me leave once I've done what you ask?"

"You have my word." Maka normally wouldn't have been inclined to believe him, but there was a gravity in his expression that made her think differently. "Besides," he added, "if I'd wanted to kill you, I'd have done so already."

"You're not helping your case, I hope you realize that."

"I assume you're here looking for Atlantis. Why would you pass up an opportunity to see it?"

She stared at him for a long time, weighing the options in her mind. She hated to admit it, but he was right. Passing this up would be foolish, and her gut told her that he truly didn't mean her harm. Still… "If you do try anything, just know that I can have you on the ground wheezing in seconds."

The corner of his mouth quirked up. "With a mouth like that, I don't doubt it."

Maka huffed, but accepted his hand. His skin was rough, covered in calluses, and he pulled her up with ease. Now that she had a closer view of him, she tried not to stare. The tattoos on his face had an almost tribal look to them, but it wasn't anything she'd ever seen before. Her fingers were itching to sketch the designs in the margins of the Journal. He turned before she could gawk any more, and as he led her towards one of the tunnels, something occurred to her. "What's your name? I'm Maka."

"My name is-" What he said next sounded like nothing more than a confused jumble of syllables. Maka wondered if he had heard her right. Upon seeing the confusion on her face, he rolled his eyes and said, "Soul. You can call me Soul."

"Soul," she repeated. "Well then, Soul, what is it you need me to translate?"

He shook his head. "Not so fast. There's someone you need to see first."

Maka hoped the sentence was not intended to be as sinister as she heard it. Soul had already given his word that she and the crew would be safe, so there was nothing left but to follow him down into the tunnels. That same watery light lit the way, growing stronger and stronger the further they went. A dull roaring noise became audible as they went, until Maka could identify it as rushing water. Her heart beat erratically in her chest.

The tunnel opened up like the previous one had, only this time it emptied onto a cliffside covered in vines. A sturdy rope bridge extended out towards a massive plateau, where a massive city surrounded by water stood tall. Maka couldn't help it - she laughed.

Soul raised an eyebrow at her, so she turned to explain. "I've been searching for this city all my life and I'm finally standing here." Her eyes sought his earnestly. "It's just… it's so beautiful."

He turned away from her abruptly, one hand coming up to rub his neck. After a moment, he looked out at the city. "She is resilient, I'll give her that." When he looked back at her, she glimpsed something like approval in his gaze.

"Welcome to Atlantis."


	5. Chapter 5

Soul led her across the rope bridge, and though she tried to be careful about where she put her feet, she could not keep from staring at the city in front of her. The plateau was massive, the city a mere island floating in the center. The sound of crashing waterfalls filled the air, as did a sweet, floral aroma. A tropical biome, perhaps? Her mind raced to catalogue every sight before her, yet it still was not enough.

"Crowding me like that won't make me go any faster," Soul shot irritably over his shoulder.

"Sorry," she said, completely unapologetically.

He snorted. "Just make sure you don't fall through. I still need you for that translation."

"What exactly is it that you need translating?" Maka asked. Something odd about the request finally came to light in her mind. "Why wouldn't you be able to read it?"

"That ability has been lost to us," he answered stiffly. He disembarked the bridge and held out a hand to steady her, but didn't meet her gaze.

"Lost? But how?"

"I'll explain after we meet with my brother. Now follow me." They were on an uneven cobbled road that wound its way between vine-covered buildings. The streets were empty, yet abandoned stalls and well-kept stoops indicated that the city was very much lived in. Every now and then Maka caught glimpses of white hair and ruby red tattoos, and as they continued towards the center of the city, she couldn't shake the feeling they were being watched.

"Your brother? Why do we have to meet with him?"

"Because he's the chief of the city. I need his approval to show you the runes." He paused. "Technically, I needed his approval to bring you this far."

"Why didn't you get it first? Is what I need to translate something important? Is that why you couldn't wait?"

"Do you ever stop asking questions?"

"I'm a scholar," Maka sniffed. "Asking questions is what I do."

"Apparently," he mumbled. "Just try not to drown my brother in them when we get there, alright?"

"I make no such promises."

Soul rounded on her as they reached an impressive set of carved stone doors. "If you want to see these runes, you will."

Maka bit off an angry retort. He was right, however much she hated to admit it. Paying his brother the proper respects would secure her access to the runes Soul needed her to translate. So she squared her shoulders and nodded silently.

"Should have said that earlier," Soul muttered. He pushed open the doors before she could do anything more than glare at him.

Once she caught sight of the space within, she promptly forgot whatever it was that had irritated her. The throne room was open-air and had a large pool decorated with stepping stones of various sizes throughout. Stone columns towered high into the air, while an enormous crumbling statue provided the backdrop. Birds Maka had never seen before glided lazily by, while fat cattails danced in an invisible breeze. It was one of the most tranquil places Maka had ever seen.

Slightly less tranquil, however, was the man sitting on the cushions at the far end of the room. His resemblance to Soul was immediately apparent, and even if Maka hadn't known of their relation, she would have guessed it. Even the scowl on his face looked familiar, though his seemed more threatening.

Soul approached his brother easily, ignoring the guards who bowed down upon his entrance. This most likely wasn't the first time he had faced his brother's displeasure. Maka, on the other hand, came forward slowly, head bowed to focus on her feet. The last thing she needed was to fall into the pool.

" _Soul,_ " the chief said. " _What have you done?_ "

" _What needed to be done, Wes_ " Soul answered. " _What you are too afraid to do._ "

Wes shook his head. " _I am only trying to protect our people._ "

" _So am I!_ "

" _By bringing in an outsider?_ "

" _I don't like it either._ " Maka bristled, but kept her mouth shut. " _But what else are we to do?_ "

" _We have survived thus far._ "

" _But we won't for long. Not if you have anything to say about it._ "

" _Our parents died protecting this city._ "

" _But we don't have to!_ "

Wes glared at Soul, and something seemed to pass between the two brothers. Maka sensed that if she were ever going to speak up, this was the moment to do so. " _Please_ ," she said softly, sinking down to one knee and pressing her hands together in front of her forehead the way she'd seen the guards do. " _The only thing I wish is to help your people. I am a scholar, not a warrior or a spy. My one aim is to learn about your city and its history. I mean you no harm._ "

When she straightened up, Wes was staring at her in shock. He shifted his gaze to Soul, who nodded. " _Do you see now_?" he asked. " _I'm not asking you to allow her crew inside. And she's not asking either._ "

Wes studied Maka for a long time. She resisted the urge to fidget. If he allowed her in, if he granted permission for her to see whatever transcripts Soul wished to show her, she could hardly imagine the gaps she would be able to fill and the questions she could answer. But if he denied her and sent her back the way she came… it was unbearable to think of. What would the crew say, if she came back empty-handed?

" _You may take her there_ ," Wes said. " _But you must accompany her at all times, and she must leave as soon as it is done._ "

A part of Maka wished she could stay and explore as long as she wanted, but she recognized the generousness of the offer. Even the opportunity to read one sentence carved on genuine Atlantean architecture was a blessing, and she wasn't about to take it for granted.

Soul led her from the room quickly, before Wes could change his mind. Once the doors were closed he grabbed her wrist and pulled her to the side, where a narrow path hugged a cliffside as it wound around the throne room. The trail carved into the wall, and at one point the ceiling dipped down until they were crawling along. Gnarled tree roots caused the path to buckle and cave, while water trickled down from above, dripping off plant leaves the size of Maka's head. A few times she had to simply stop and watch as a strange butterfly flew past, or as a flower bloomed right in front of her. Soul, clearly impatient with her dawdling, never failed to tug at her arm or nudge her side to get her moving again.

They paused in a clearing dappled with light, Soul clambering over fallen sculptures as Maka bent over to catch her breath. "How did you get here? Not you personally, but your people. How does civilization come to a city buried beneath the ocean?"

"Again with the questions," Soul said, but he didn't sound very annoyed. "But to answer: they say the gods grew angry with us, and they sent a cataclysm as punishment. I don't know for sure what happened. All I can remember is the sky growing dark, people shouting and running." His face grew clouded. "There was a bright light, and my grandmother… I never saw her again."

"I'm sorry. I lost my mother…" Maka's eyes grew wide as the full implication of Soul's words hit her. "Hold on, wait, you said - you remember this happening? You remember the city sinking?" She didn't wait for him to respond. "Well, of course not, that's impossible. That would make you…" She counted on her fingers. "...8800 years old."

He stared at her blankly. "Yes?"

She blinked. "Oh. Alright." He turned away to continue across the clearing, but she called out to him. "Are you really that old?"

"I suppose so. We don't exactly keep track."

"No, I'd imagine not." She thought for a moment. "I suppose that answers my question of how the writing became lost."

"Not since the great flood. I've scoured the archives, and other have also tried, but not one of us has been able to understand it." He stopped in his tracks, then whirled around. "Let me show you something."

Soul raced down a side path, emerging next to a large, cloth-covered lump. He moved the fabric aside to reveal a rusted steel fish, its edges warped. A carved seat and curved handle made its purpose clear. "Some kind of vehicle?"

He nodded. "Yes, it';s called a spina. But I can't figure out how to start it. Can you help?"

Maka peered closely at an inscription in front of the seat. It depicted a diamond shape surrounded by lines of Atlantean. "Place crystal into slot-"

Soul cut her off. "I've done that."

"Put your hand on the inscription pad-"

"Yes."

"Did you turn it to the left one-half revolution?"

"Yes."

"While keeping your hand in place?"

"Ye - no."

Maka smirked at him. "Then there you have it."

Soul frowned and shouldered past her. "Are you sure that's right, because-" He pulled the crystal from around his neck, inserted it, and turned it. Instantly a powerful buzzing sounded filled the air, and the sunken lines decorating the spina glowed a vivid blue. It lifted smoothly into the air and hovered, waiting patiently for its rider. "Oh. Well."

"You were saying?"

Soul harrumphed. "That was an easy translation. It's not what I wanted to show you originally."

Maka stepped back and gestured forward. "Then lead the way."

She wasn't familiar enough with their path, but as they journeyed, she grew more and more certain that Soul was retracing his steps. When they reached a rocky lagoon tucked away behind what had once been a proud temple, Maka asked, "Did you purposely lead me up a cliff for no reason?"

"No?" But Soul's lips twitched and he didn't sound at all convincing.

"The spina wasn't what you wanted to show me. Was it a test?"

"Maybe."

"Did I pass?"

"I brought you here, didn't I?" He gestured to the shore. "I needed to be sure you could really translate our writing. I've brought you here because the mural is what's important."

Maka looked around. The massive columns that had once stood at the entrance to the temple now lay crumbled on their sides. Atlantean writing circled the base. Maka peered closer, then said, "I can start here. This symbol means… what are you doing?"

Soul stood ankle-deep in the lagoon's water, his vest halfway off his shoulders. "You know how to swim, Maka?" He turned more fully to face her, and Maka caught sight of a pale, bone-white scar from his shoulder to the opposite hip. The muscles across his chest stretched as he discarded the vest, and when she looked back up to his face, she found Soul watching her quizzically. "If you don't, that might be a problem."

"No, I swim." Her voice squeaked halfway through. She cleared her throat and tried again. "I mean, it's not a problem."

He smiled at her, and it occurred to her that it was the first time he'd done so. "Good. Then let me show you the way."

Soul dove into the water, leaving Maka to follow. He was a strong swimmer - unsurprising, considering where they were - but she had no trouble keeping up. His crystal cast a reddish glow upon their surroundings, revealing submerged ruins that, over time, had evolved into thriving reefs. Maka wished she had the time to linger and examine everything she saw, but her burning lungs would not allow it. Just when she thought she wouldn't be able to follow Soul any further, he turned upwards, surfacing in a small stone cavity. "All right?" he asked.

"I didn't drown, did I?"

"Fair point. The mural is just beyond this point." After taking a measured breath, he dove back down. Maka followed the bobbing light of his crystal, coming to a halt as it lit up a massive slab of rock painted with intricate designs.

The center of the paintings was a massive star, filled with dotted white lines of a similar shape. Various pictograms surrounded the star, but Maka's focus was on the lines of writing between the two.

Soul pulled back to allow her access. Maka traced one finger along the words, her mind racing through the possible translations. At first the words meant no more to her than a simple linguistics exercise, but once she started stringing them together, her heart pounded in excitement.

She pointed to the surface, and when they both emerged from the water, Maka said, "I can't believe it; an entire history of Atlantis! It's similar to Plato, in some aspects - of course he would misinterpret more than a few details-"

"Maka, the light," Soul said impatiently, cutting her off. "The star in the mural… is there anything about that?"

"I had at most a few minutes there," Maka retorted. "Give me a little more time."

He rolled his eyes but followed her back. This time they focused on the main mural itself, and the image it depicted. Two statues held their arms out to the side, wavy lines extending from both of them. Smaller figures stood in a V-formation above. The fringes of the picture showed an army with spears and shields, evidently attacking the statues. At the top was another star, this one painted white. Solid lines connected the smaller figures to it, their arms lifted above their heads as though in worship. Maka squinted, and as the dots connected in her mind, she grabbed for Soul's crystal. The people in the mural were wearing identical ones. She pointed to the surface, eager to share her thoughts.

"The Heart of Atlantis," she burst out.

"What?"

"It's the Heart of Atlantis! It's mentioned in the Shepherd's Journal, only he wasn't talking about a star, it's a crystal." She pointed to the one he wore. "The power source I was looking for, the bright light you saw… I think they're the same thing."

"Are you sure?"

She ignored him. "This is what's keeping everything alive."

"But then, where is it?"

Maka bit her lip, stumped. The Journal had only talked of the Heart's power, but not of its location. "I don't know." She recalled the torn page and groaned. "There's a page torn out of the back. I'll bet that's where the location was."

"Then how are we going to find it?"

"I can go through the Journal again, see if there's anything I missed. Maybe he references it somewhere else." When she saw the look on his face, she added, "Don't worry, Soul. I know I can find it."

"Well, I suppose if anyone can, it's you."

Maka tried to blame the flush in her cheeks on the exertion, but knew it wasn't entirely true.


	6. Chapter 6

Maka moved her bangs to the side and ignored the chill breeze that made her shiver all the way down to her toes. "With all respect sir, what are the guns for?" A sinking realization struck as the words passed her lips and she groaned, head lying against the stone. "So you're just here for the Heart then?" Maka asked, pulling on her coat as she clambered out of the water.

"Could you be referring to this?" Law asked, pulling out a loose page - the missing page of the Journal - that he'd hidden in his bible. "It was a great find though I didn't realize you noticed. Your mother certainly didn't."

At that moment Soul emerged from the water, unaware of the action around him and yelped when he was dragged further out by his hair by one of the masked men. Before they could make it very far, Soul kneed the mercenary in the stomach and shoved him into the water as his eyes darted around in a panic. Another man moved into his view and Soul unsheathed a hidden knife, ready to spring at the attacker but a gunshot struck the handle, flinging it out of his hands. In his shock, two other mercenaries tackled him. Soul let out a strangled yell as he hit the ground, furiously struggling under their combined weight as Gorgon shoved her gun back in its holster. As Maka moved to help Soul, Law's arm shot out and grabbed her wrist, earning him a furious glare.

"What do you think you're doing? The Heart of Atlantis isn't some kind of weapon or jewel, it's their life source. You'll kill them if you take it away!"

"Then that will make the results of taking it even more interesting, won't it?" said Gorgon, grin wider than a Cheshire Cat's.

"We were wondering if you could help us figure out where to find it," he commented, looking at Maka pointedly.

She glared at the small crowd - at the 'friends' pointing guns at her - and spat, "I will never help a monster like you."

Groaning, Law shook his head sadly at her stubbornness and bravery. "I really do hate it when people are so… godless." The commander made a gesture to a mercenary who immediately pushed a gun against Soul's head. Soul shook his head, expression frantic, but Maka couldn't take the risk. Seeing her will buckle, Law waved the missing page in front of Maka's nose and smirked, "Let's try this again."

Avoiding Soul's betrayed eyes, dark with pain, she took it and scanned over the paper. "The only bit relevant to you is 'The Heart of Atlantis lies in the eyes of her Chief.'" Maka's voice was laced with acidic bitterness and a devastating familiarity with her position. Yet again, she was helpless against others' whims, first the scholars and now her former comrades. Her life's work, her mother's dreams - all of it was worth nothing to their greedy and selfish hearts. And now an entire city of people was doomed because of her stupidity and blindness.

"So what does that mean?"

"You tell me, I'm not the expert at stealing ancient treasures," she retorted sarcastically. If they were going to shoot her or Soul so easily, they would've done it when she finished translating.

"What do you think, Lieutenant?"

"Maybe the chief himself would know about this. Can't hurt to check the throne room," the blonde woman shrugged as the group turned and started marching to the center of the city. Maka rubbed her arm when Law finally let go, the skin an angry red from he gripped it tightly.

"Go die in a hole somewhere, you monster," scowled Maka, shoving past him to Soul in an attempt to help. The Atlantean wouldn't look at her, the confliction clear on his face. "I'm sorry, Soul. This is all my fault," Maka apologized in Atlantean, trying to blink away tears as she gently touched his shoulder.

Soul didn't get a chance to answer before the two were pulled away from each other by the mercenaries. "Can't have you two conspiring after all," remarked Law, ignoring the glare that came his way.

The group trooped through the city, drawing fearful stares. Mothers grabbed their children and ran indoors, no doubt praying they could find a way to protect themselves from the monsters the visitors had revealed to be. A small group of kids played on the edge of the street, somehow not noticing the danger. Just as Maka opened her mouth to call out a warning, one of the masked mercenaries roughly pushed them aside, ignoring the curses he drew from the Atlanteans. To Maka's surprise, she saw BlackStar, among others, shoot the man a dark look. The weapon expert's grip on his tightening until his knuckles bled white.

As they reached the throne room, Maka winced as Law threw the doors open and aimed his gun at Soul carelessly. "Tell them to drop their weapons," the commander barked, glancing at the armed Atlantean warriors pointedly.

Chief Wes repeated the order in Atlantean reluctantly, shooting the intruders a hate-filled look. "Search everywhere!" ordered Gorgon, ignoring the loathing glares they were getting. Chief Wes moved forward angrily, only to be prodded in the chest with a machine gun by one of the masked men. The mercenaries spread out, trashing the throne room as they rooted for the Heart of Atlantis, finding nothing.

"You're not trying hard enough. There's got to be more information," pressured Law, waving his pistol at her threateningly.

Maka lifted her chin and glared back at him, trying to pin the taller man with her gaze. "Well, there isn't. Would you rather I lied?"

Huffing, Law pushed past her and stomped over to Chief Wes. "Can you help me out then?"

"Let go of my brother! What do you think you're-"

"Clearly, I'm not making myself understood," Commander Law snarled, punching Chief Wes in the gut. As the man stumbled back, a mercenary clubbed him over the head with his gun. Soul let out a shout as his brother fell to the ground, swearing furiously at anyone who tried to hold him back. The reaction garnered a few sympathetic looks from the treasure hunters, particularly Liz and Patty. Stein moved to examine the chief, stethoscope already out before he noticed the gun pointed at his head.

"Back away doc, wouldn't want you to get hurt, would we?" Law sneered. As Stein stepped away, Law lowered his hand and walked to the throne, sitting down lazily and propping his feet up on the altar before him. Two mercenaries pulled Chief Wes up and forced him to stand. Cocking his gun, Law aimed it at Wes' head and drawled, "I'll give you to a count of ten." He started ticking off, but his words slowly faded away as he seemed to realize something upon glancing at the cover of the book and the surface of the pool.

Maka's head hung with sorrow as a smile burst out across Law's face. "I've got it!" he exclaimed, climbing down from the throne into the pool as Wes was tossed away. Law plowed through the floating lotuses to the center of the spiraling walkway, grabbing Maka's arm along and the way and dragging her after him. Stepping up onto the stone platform, he grinned victoriously as it started sinking. Maka was forced to jump in as it descended beneath the water while Gorgon pushed Soul after the pair. She looked at him worriedly, checking to see if he had any visible injuries. Seeing her look, Soul waved Maka off, shaking his head to show he was alright.

As the platform descended, Maka looked around with awe, stunned at the cavern they were in. It was a gigantic hollow place shaped like the inside of an egg, the curved walls covered with intricate carvings all the way to the very top. As they finally reached the bottom, a small bed of stones before a bottomless pool of water, Maka's jaw dropped at the sight before them.

"The Heart," gasped Soul, drawing her gaze. His eyes were wide, his mouth hanging open slightly with amazement, though there seemed to be something else in his expression too… could it be fear?

It was a glowing blue sphere, hovering far above the water, shimmering like the ocean on a sunny day with a bright white center, pulsing almost as if it really were a heart. Around it slowly rotated black, flat stones, designed to look like faces. The eyes shone solid blue and the other carvings emitted pale turquoise light.

At Maka's questioning look, Soul whispered, "The chiefs of our past," clearly feeling a respect for the sacred place.

Of course, Law had no such feelings. "Jackpot." Grinning, he strode to the edge of the water, kicking a pebble into it curiously.

Immediately, the Heart turned red, the blue flakes it was emitting turning to crimson sparks as the crystal burned like a bonfire, the spinning faces' light changing to match. The difference in color instantly made the masks look more menacing as they glared down at the intruders. Spotlights emerged once again, scanning the cavern carefully.

"How do we get it down, Albarn?"

"Get it down? I don't even know what's holding it up there, much less how you plan to cross a bottomless lake to get to it," Maka retorted, not noticing how after one of the light landed on Soul, the rest disappeared and the Heart calmed to blue again.

" _Bunaya_?" he whispered fondly, a smile gracing his face as he looked up at the crystal, a warmth of familiarity and better days past enveloping him. Soul's feet moved forward of their own accord, the crystal around his neck attracted to the Heart.

"Soul?" asked Maka, bewildered as he walked between her and Law, stepping into the pool. Moving to follow him, she was barred by Law's muscled arm.

"Hold it."

"Don't worry, Maka Albarn. All is well," Soul mechanically assured her in Atlantean, turning around to face them momentarily. His eyes glowed solid blue and the voice wasn't the prince's, but rather many older tones speaking together. Maka watched with tears in her eyes as his figure got further and further from her, the face she had seen terrible in its unfamiliarity, the girl unable to recognize the man she had grown to cherish in it. Amazingly, he didn't sink and easily crossed the top of the water as if it were regular ground. He paused beneath the Heart, looking up into it as if someone were speaking to him, beckoning him towards it. A narrow beam of light came down, striking the floating crystal around his neck and expanded to a spotlight, a click echoing through the cavern at the contact.

The light surrounded Soul, lifting him into the air. The time it took for the man to rise behind the masks and be enveloped by the crystal seemed to be an eternity. When he finally disappeared from view her heart clenched tightly, Maka's throat squeezed shut from pain as she fought back tears. Maka gritted her teeth upon seeing Law's and Gorgon's greedy gazes. They didn't care that they were sacrificing an entire civilization - all they cared about was getting rich.

The stones started spinning faster and faster, the Heart condensing to just Soul's form, his whole body becoming jewel-like and shining blue. The body - for Maka couldn't bear to think of it as Soul anymore - slowly began floating down, back to the surface of the water. The lights glowing in the masks faded away, the stones seeming to lose power as the Heart grew further away.

 _Was this going to happen to the whole city?_

The Heart strode across the water back to the shore, a disk-like platform appearing underneath it when it landed on the surface of the pool. The masks crashed down one by one around it, the waves they created dying around it and some kind of invisible, spherical shield protecting the Heart from the spray. Law reached out to touch him as it stepped onto the smooth ground, but Maka gasped, "Don't," not sure if she still cared about their safety, against all odds, or was worried about the damage touching it could cause the Heart. She stared after Soul, heart sinking even further as it became clear that the person she loved seemed to be gone forever.

There was nothing she could do to stop him from being dragged away at the call of Law's henchmen who shoved her aside like a rag doll. They dragged his crystallized form back up to the surface where the rest of the crew - her supposed friends - were waiting, unable to meet her eyes as she judged every one of them in silence. Stein was no where to be seen though, nor was the Chief present, but Law only had eyes for his treasure.

After summoning a truck that bursted into the throne room without a shred of care, Gorgon locked Soul into the metal container in the back and secured it with a slew of chains and locks. As she worked, the bindings seemed to freeze over, further encasing Soul into what looked like his tomb. Medusa tore her hands away before they could get caught in the approaching crystal formation, but once it calmed down, she rapped the cocoon with a knuckle.

"Packaged himself just for us," she sneered, signaling for the truck to leave. "Well Law, we got what we were looking for. I expect a sample of this material for my research by the end of this."

He paid no attention to her and commanded at the mercenaries to strip the room of any valuables they could lay their hands on while the rest of the main crew looked down dejectedly, gripping their weapons loosely. They stood in front of an decorative tapestry by the side of the room, nodding their heads at Law as he reminding them to fill their bags before returning to the entrance of Atlantis.

"You have half an hour," he warned, climbing into the truck that carried Soul. "Any later, and you won't leave with us."

Gorgon trailed the vehicle as it left, mumbling under her breath and glowering at Maka - a warning to not follow her down. "Enjoy your stay, Albarn. How ironic of you to chase after a pipe-dream only to become trapped in the fantasy."

She gritted her teeth, unable to answer as the workers followed after, loaded with gold and stolen valuables. Her knees gave in and she fell to the hard stone floor, holding back her frustration towards her own powerlessness. As the last of the members trickled out, closing the door with a heavy boom, a hand fell onto her shoulder. Maka looked up to see the regret in BlackStar's face as he knelt down to her level.

"It wasn't supposed to be this way."

She shrugged off his touch. "Right. Like I'm supposed to believe that. Go after your boss like the loyal lapdogs you are."

"They were going to pay us," Kid spoke slowly. "But they never said-"

"Save it. You've made your stance on this clear enough-"

"Which is why I would save the Chief."

Maka whipped her head up at the direction of Stein's voice, biting away the tears as the group that had been standing by the wall parted to reveal Stein as he sat crouched over Wes underneath the tapestry. His eyes were closed but they were no longer squeezed shut in pain, rather they were serene, as if he'd fallen into a slumber.

Stein removed his stethoscope from his neck and got up to his feet. "So tell us what kind of dogs we are? Patty is a rottweiler," he said, eliciting a "of course" from the girl in question.

"Y-you protected-"

A loud "tch" interrupted Maka as Liz stepped towards her. "This doesn't sit well with us, Albarn. We know our rights from our wrongs, and this is clearly wrong."

"We have some time left before they depart," Tsubaki suggested, nodding. "It's not too late to catch up with them if we leave now."

"Even then, we'll never get there fast enough," Kid noted. "We'd need a steam train."

As they talked around her, devising a plan to both rescue Soul and to return the treasure, Maka felt wetness pool at her eyes. This gang of misfits that had adopted her as one of their own would risk their lives against Law, and yet she'd jumped to conclusions about them. BlackStar touched her shoulder again, squeezing it in support as she settled from her sudden catharsis.

"They've already left now," Tsubaki said with annoyance in her tone. "If we'd left-"

"We still wouldn't have caught up!"

Another round of arguments sparked, but Maka picked up bits and pieces, settling on the best course of action. She dragged herself off from the ground, eyes set with determination. "Yes, we can. I have an idea but we're going to need help. A lot of it."


	7. Chapter 7

Forming the plan was easy, but putting it into action was proving to be more challenging.

After creating a makeshift bed for Wes, half of the group ran to gather a crowd while the rest ran back to the area where Maka had first found the spina. Although they were confused, they followed her lead as she ripped off the vines and brushed off the collected dirt from the surface.

"What are these?"

"Seems to be a flying device," Maka answered Patty. "Soul and I found them not too long ago, and I think they can be activated with the touch of an Atlantean."

"They don't seem to be easily convinced, Albarn," Liz said, cocking her hip to the side.

"Then we need to show them," and with that, she activated the spina just as she'd done before. Blue light spilled around her fingers as she placed her hand on the control pad, illuminating the blonde's fierce expression as the spina shot forward, the wind nearly pulling her hair out of its pigtails. She shouted at the sisters to stay where they were and that she'd bring others to them soon enough.

As she flew to the courtyard nearby where BlackStar and Kid had successfully gathered a crowd, she landed in an empty space beside them as frightened eyes of atlanteans followed her movement. They watched carefully in silence and wariness as Maka cleared her throat, summoning their foreign tongue.

"I'm sure you've all been made aware of the situation as my companions have informed you." Wild yells of protests started to rise but Maka continued on, unwilling to let a precious second slip by. "Soul needs our help, and without it, your world will collapse. You've seen the soldiers as they carried him away in a cage, and we need to get him back before they make it out too far!"

She heard the angry noise of the citizens complaints. Hadn't they damaged them enough, they were saying. It was a suicide mission, they cried. But-

"We can do it together," she screamed, instilling another wave of silence. "I'll help you save Atlantis, or I'll die trying!" At the lack of a response, Maka continued. "I'll help you rebuild from the damage! I'll help you hide away your world again, too! But I need your help- I need your help to save Soul!" Her voice broke at her last word. "Please."

A beat later, and the people scattered across the courtyard roared with approval as Maka shook in relief. She leapt into her spina, asking all abled bodies to follow her as she led them to where the others were stationed. And they listened, running close behind her and then finally climbing onto their own machines. They followed the Thompson sisters' quick but concise directions, activating them swiftly with hope etched on their faces.

When enough were ready, Maka turned into the direction of the entrance where she'd came in before. She cried out a "let's go" and other spina followed her, whoops and cheers heralding them out.

 _I really hope I'm not leading them to their deaths._

Flying over the city, Maka couldn't help but be awed by it. The place really was gorgeous, despite feeling hollow and dead from the Heart's absence. As the waterfalls passed by beneath them, Maka pulled herself back to the task at hand. She scanned the ground for any places the drill could've turned off the main path, but thankfully Law hadn't bothered to hide their tracks. The driller lay abandoned by the side of the mountain. Maka pointed at the massive hole and aimed her spina towards it, hoping the others would understand and follow, seeing as the howling wind was too strong to even attempt screaming over it.

Inside the air was more still and Maka shouted to the others, praying they didn't hear how close her voice was to cracking, "Get the cage free and out as fast as possible. We're gonna come in fast to try and take them by surprise. Anyone have any suggestions?"

"Don't get shot!" BlackStar called cheekily.

"Gee thanks, I never would've figured that out!" grumbled Maka, secretly glad for his silliness. Kid's encouraging smile and BlackStar's and Patty's excited grins, the pair armed to the teeth, were also somehow emboldening. Maka led them to the center of the mountain, a chorus of shouts heralding the mercenaries presence even before they rounded a corner and saw Law's giant hot air balloon.

"There they are!"

She just heard Law yell, "We've got company!" before the mercenaries started firing, the bullets shooting through the air all around them, hitting the walls of the shaft and showering a rain of pebbles and stones on the fighters. A grenade suddenly exploded in front of Maka, sending her spina tumbling back a bit from the force.

Growling, Maka aimed her spina higher, wishing she had a weapon of some kind. She looked up, noticing a hole at the top of the mountain with a pale blue dot shining at the top. So this was Law's way to the surface! To her shock, a sudden explosion rocketed through the shaft, making her ears ring. She whipped around and caught BlackStar grinning with delight, a blue glow surrounding his spina.

"What did you do?"

"Touch the keypad for a second or two and it'll send out this awesome electric beam or something!"

Pushing away her surprise - after all, she'd seen stranger things at this point - Maka yelled, "We can't let them get to the top!" As a plane swept past her, machine gun aimed at Kid's spina, she tried BlackStar's trick, slamming her hand against the control pad. The front of her spina opened and it glowed turquoise, firing a bolt of lightning-like energy towards the plane and making it explode.

"Guys, we need to work together to get the heart. Liz, Stein, you guys go free Soul while we distract them!"

"On it!"

As the decoys neared the balloon, Law shouted, "Lieutenant!" as he fired a machine gun at them. The bullets came scarily close to Maka's face as the trio scattered. Out of the corner of her eye, Maka saw Law gesturing towards Liz and Stein as they furiously worked to cut the chains holding the Heart's cage. To her terror, Gorgon dropped a bomb on Liz's spina, Stein just barely managing to pull her away in time onto his.

Taking a deep breath, Maka glanced around desperately as she searched for a plan. The situation seemed to be getting worse and worse as she flew higher - most of her allies were scattered throughout the shaft and fighting individual battles, without really gaining any ground. Maka groaned as she formed a plan, muttering to herself, "All right, any last words Albarn?"

Setting her jaw resolutely, Maka grabbed the controls and aimed her spina into one of the balloon's floating devices, jumping off just before it hit. She held on tightly to one of the ropes holding the whole contraption together, fighting tears from the rope-burn. Shouts from below drew her gaze to Law and Gorgon, the commander rolling his eyes at her words.

"We're not going to make it out!"

"I will if I lighten the load," he answered smoothly, pushing her overboard. Gorgon somehow managed to grab onto the rail and yelled as she swung back onto the balloon, kicking Law in the face furiously.

"You said we were in this together!"

"Tough luck," he retorted, grabbing her foot as she went to roundhouse kick him and shoving her over the edge again. This time, the woman missed any opportunity to grab the hot air balloon and dropped to the ground. From what she could see of it, Law's contented expression showed no remorse or caring, just relief that his plan was succeeding. Maka worked to unknot the ropes she was hanging on to, careful to leave enough for support. As it came undone, she crashed into Law. Their combined weight made the rail give out and the pair landed on the platform just above the propeller.

Standing up with a feral grin and fury boiling in his eyes, Law chuckled with barely contained rage as he walked towards her, "Well, I have to hand it to you. You're a bigger pain in the neck than I would have ever thought possible."

Maka moved to punch him, but he caught her fist, pushing the her into the rail. The force pulled it loose and sent her into the air while one end caught in the propeller. Maka barely held on to the slick metal, tears of pain welling up in her eyes, heart pounding as Law leered at her dangerously. Abruptly, an explosion rocketed through the upper levels of the balloon, flaming chunks of it flying everywhere. Spotting Patty and BlackStar waiting below her, Maka relaxed from relief and let go of the railing piece, caught just in time by the girl's strong hands.

"You good?" BlackStar yelled as he gunned the engine.

"I'm fine, what about Soul and Law? Where are they?" she cried, whirling around at the heavy boom behind her. The hot-air balloon had crashed into the side of the shaft and began falling faster, the flying mechanisms completely destroyed now. As the contraption neared the ground, it resembled a gigantic fireball more than anything else.

"Let's go!" shouted Liz as they neared her. "It looks like the volcano's about to blow!"

"No! We have to get Soul or the whole city will die!" Maka yelled, "Bring it down, BlackStar!"

"Are you crazy-"

Maka leaned in closer to his face, barely able to contain herself as her words pushed out from behind clenched teeth. "Bring it down." He cursed, taking the spina lower and cringing as Maka leapt off and ran towards the cage as the ground began to shake beneath her feet.

"Maka, no!"

Ignoring Liz's shout, Maka searched for anything they could use to pick up the box and bring it with them. Suddenly, a chain landed by her, guiding her gaze to Stein as he wrapped the other end around the tail fin of his spina. "Not getting any younger, Albarn."

She grabbed the chain and ran towards the cage, looping it around the box and hooking the end to the links. "Go!" Maka ordered as she leapt onto the box as it was dragged forward, holding on for dear life as the lava chased after them, spitting burning rocks. Her hammered against her rib cage, fighting to burst out as a burning rock struck the cage, earning a scream of terror.

"You still hanging on?"

"What do you think I'm doing?" she yelled back, knowing they probably couldn't hear her. The wind stung the various scratches across her body and the bumpy ride only bruised her even more, but the warm glowing from inside the box somehow seemed to make it melt away, as if it were healing her. Leaning her forehead against the metal, Maka lost track of time as they flew, resting for a brief moment. As the cage slowed, she heaved out a sigh of relief as they landed in the center of the city, leaving the lava behind them. She hopped off and shot a quick thank you to the atlantean warrior who handed her his spear, digging it into the area between the door and the rest of the book, straining to pry it open as sweat trickled down her face.

"Maka, the volcano's starting to erupt!" warned Kid.

The Heart's power started burning so brightly Maka had to stand back and shield her eyes, watching through her fingers as the box floated apart at the seams, revealing Soul. Gasps of shock echoed off the buildings as the atlanteans recognized their prince. Out of the corner of her eye, Maka saw Liz dance back from the blue light as it transferred to the intricate carvings in the stone and spread out like water, pulling BlackStar and Patty with her. Conversely, Kid crouched down and examined the lights closely as they illuminating the whole city. He was just about to touch it when Soul raised his hands and the light disappeared. Maka yelled with surprise when the masks tore through the stone floor, floating in a spinning sphere above the city while Soul flew upwards to join them, hovering at the center and unleashing a beam of light.

Whirling around, Maka watched as the beam hit one of the old statues half submerged in the waters outside the city. It moved to its feet with glowing solid blue eyes and the giant's shadow falling across the city. More beams shot out, hitting various places all around the perimeter of the island and summoning other statues to a stand, moving together to the waterfalls at the edge of Atlantis as lava poured out of the mountain. The drill was swept aside as magma burst through the rock, shooting fiery clumps of rock and magma at the city.

As the giants stood at the waterfalls, they clapped their hands together in sync, the collective boom sending chills down Maka's skin. They spread their arms apart, a shining blue membrane growing between their fingertips and spreading like a web around and over the surface of the city resembling an enormous dome. Maka cringed as lava lapped at the edge of the city, shielding her face reflexively as the waves slowly enveloped the whole sphere in red.

A slow murmur grew from the hushed silence as people glanced upwards fearfully. The worries crowded around her, infectiously making her heart sprint even more than it already was. "Are we just going to stay like this forever? When are we going to run out of air?" Shaking her head, she watched as the lava slowed and began hardening, forming a hard shell around Atlantis. Sweat beaded on Maka's brow - the questions the atlanteans asked weren't ones she could answer, and her mind didn't do her any favors by coming up with all the disastrous ways this could end. The dome began to pulse steadily, almost like a heartbeat as barely visible magic traced lines in the hardened and forced it to crack apart. Pieces slid down the surface of the dome and broke off into chunks on the edges of the stone bed on which the island rested, creating waterfalls again as the dome disappeared, mist and steam billowing into the air.

Maka saw out of the corner of her eyes a pale shaft of light come down from above, surrounding Soul as he floated down from the Heart. Moving to the light, she reached out and caught him, looking at Soul worriedly as the light faded. Thankfully, warm breaths soon puffed against her face and his bright red eyes opened slowly, confused as he stood and looked around.

"Soul?" Maka asked cautiously, not wanting to startle him.

"Yes?" he replied, taking everything in and not looking at her.

"Are you alright?"

Running his hand through his hair thoughtfully, Soul took a long time to answer. "Yes, I'm fine." Taking a deep breath and avoiding her eyes, he continued, "I remember things from when I was in the Heart. It's all kind of disconnected, but I think I understand what happened. Just… where's Wes?"

Maka sighed regretfully and answered, "Chief Wes is laying in the throne room, but he's been heavily weakened. Stein said that he should be alright when the Heart came back."

Nodding, Soul turned back to face her. "Thank you, Maka," he said, smiling at her tiredly. "For everything."

Soul only barely managed to keep his balance when Maka threw herself at him and hugged him tightly, her face pressed against his shoulder as tears slid down her face from relief and exhaustion. They rocked in place, so relieved to the other was safe and alive that words vanished from their throats along with smoky blue clouds of fog.

"Hey, Maka, Soul!" shouted BlackStar, running up to them with a grin. "You're alive then buddy?" he asked Soul with a smirk.

Soul raised his eyebrow and replied, "You tell me." Shaking his head and laughing, BlackStar clapped him on the shoulder as the rest of the gang straggled up to them, the group sharing tired and elated grins.

"So it's over, we did it," Liz said, lightly punching Kid's arm.

"I never said we couldn't do it."

Liz scoffed, "Yes, you kind of did."

Tsubaki helped Maka pull Soul to his feet, though his legs were shaking badly and he could barely hold himself up, but the two girls supported him as they walked back to the throne room while the others followed up on the damage. Once there, Soul broke from them in a run towards Wes, collapsing at his bedside and clasping his brother's hand in his. He whispered apologizes and pleaded for him to be alright, and true to Stein's words, the moment that The Heart was back in Wes's presence, he started to glow a slight rosy color and color returned to his cheeks. His eyes fluttered open just slightly, and he squeezed Soul's hand as he said, "Came home so soon, brother?"

At this, Maka and Tsubaki slipped out, allows the two boys to be reunited in peace as they helped the rest of their friends check the city. The crew stayed for a few days, providing support in healthcare and in building reconstruction, and pretty soon, they'd all grown attached. At the end of the week, they made their decision to leave for the lost city would have been better off without invaders. However-

"Stay, Maka."

She froze, one hand still in her satchel and the other clutching the journal. Her eyebrows furrowed and she opened her mouth to argue but Patty continued.

"You belong here, you know? There's a bunch of nerd things and you can be with your dream and stuff." Patty smirked, "You fit right in."

BlackStar chimed in, "She's got a point, mate. No need to pack with us."

"But-"

"You love it here, Maka," Tsubaki added. "Besides, your heart is in Atlantis. I don't think you can bear to leave, no matter how strong you try to be."

"We really don't have a place here. It's only right." Kid continued to fill his bags, unable to look at Maka. "You can continue to help translate their ruins for them, maybe even find a way to restore the city to its former glory. But we have our own role. It's not here."

"But Mr. Mortimer-"

"Father will be informed that regrettably there was nothing to be seen, the city doesn't exist, and you perished on the journey."

Maka dropped the Journal onto her cot and she whirled around to face them all. "Wait just one moment-" She was interrupted once more with a hand on her shoulder.

"No use fighting it, Albarn. Just live out the rest of your life in happiness," Liz said with a tinge of sadness in her voice.

A look of regret and of sorrow washed over the group as they listened to Maka's fierce rejection. She argued how she didn't belong here either and that she had a life up on the surface, one she couldn't just abandon. But as she yelled, she realized why she first came to Atlantis in the first place, how this place was really her dream and how hard she'd been searching. It wasn't just for her mother, it was also her own life's goal. She trailed off as her eyes began to fill with tears, but no one moved forward to comfort her.

BlackStar finally broke their silence. "Let us do this for you. It's the least we can do for almost destroying everything." He chuckled. "Besides, I don't think pretty boy would want you to go either." Maka reached over to lightly smack him in his arm, but he caught it easily and pulled her into a hug. "Gunna miss you I guess."

Patty flung herself into the two, followed by the others who circled Maka with their arms- except for Stein who lit a cigar and stepped outside. As he exited, the tent flap parted to reveal Soul. Immediately, he turned to leave, but Maka called his name and asked him to come in. The rest of the crew stepped back and also left, leaving Maka with Soul.

She cleared her throat. "So you heard." It wasn't a question.

He nodded once but didn't say anything else, only looked to the corner of the tent with hardened eyes.

"What do you think?" Silence. "Soul? Should I- should I stay?"

"Ah." A hand reached back to rub the back of his head. "Up to you. Wouldn't mind though."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

They stepped towards each other slowly, falling into a tight hug. She pressed her face into his bare shoulder as he looped his arm around her waist, staying like that until they heard the noise outside grew louder as the remainder of the crew and mercenaries prepared to leave. Maka started to turn away back to her pack, but Soul didn't let her go and instead reached up to her head, holding it against his body.

"Soul?" she whispered.

"Yeah?"

For a moment, she couldn't form any words. Her mind was in turmoil but deep inside, maybe she knew what she wanted all along. She hesitated for a moment before asking once more. "Really?"

"Yeah."

Maka lifted her head to look at his blushing face, eyes wide and heart thumping. They looked at each other, bursting into laughter from the other's flustered expression. Caught up in the moment, Maka stretched up and kissed him on the cheek, Soul's face immediately burning at the action but his grin showing no displeasure.


End file.
